Finally gonna paint!

I am finally ready to start painting my dad"s old Farmall B. I have read many posts on this forum and have decided to use PPG Omni paint without hardner as I do not have the proper air equipment. What I am unclear on is some of the details of time windows between primers and top coats and what prep should be done between these coats. If you could CNKS, would you go through one more time the steps after the metal is cleaned with DX330. Of course, I will read the cans but it would make more sense with an outline from someone who has used it.

Thanks, Jeff

Only a couple of cautions to add to what CNKS said. I haven't used a lacquer-type surfacer in quite a while now, but I am a little nervous with them. They are very fast dry. It's relatively easy to get dry spray with 'em, especially in warm weather and with a fast evaporating solvent. My concerns are either bridging of sandscratches or inadequate dry time before topcoating, either of which can let sandscratches show up after topcoating. I know the tech sheet says 30 minutes to sand and topcoat. If I were doing it with the 181, I'd wait until the next day. I want to be sure the stuff is dry all the way through, not just on the surface. Depending on what air-emissions quality zone you are in, you may be forced to buy the MS250 solvent at the same time you buy the 181, whether you plan on using it or not! I understand it is simply acetone, a solvent that is exempt from VOC emission regulations. Acetone is a fast evaporating solvent. My personal preference, if I were doing it, would be to use the MR187, slow-dry reducer instead. It's permitted by the tech sheet although there is a note to indicate non-compliance with the "National Rule". I have never used the 181 so take this with a grain of salt. In the past, I always used a slow lacquer thinner when using a lacquer-type surfacer and I am just carrying that preference over to the 181. Certainly if this is done, I would recommend waiting until the next day to sand and topcoat. Once you get the surfacer on the epoxy, there is no specific time window for topcoating. You should make sure your final sand of the surfacer is with nothing coarser than 400 grit prior to applying the topcoat. It's also a good idea to do a final quick swipe with the 330 just before tacking off and topcoating.

The other caution is with the OMNI MAE acrylic enamel w/o hardener. There is a question on the recoatability of that product. I have never used it that way so I can't be certain. In days past, enamels w/o hardeners could not be recoated in a reasonable time after initial dry w/o wrinkling and lifting of the previous paint film. The MAE tech sheet does not address recoating. I have asked PPG before about that. They do not recommend recoating MAE w/o hardener - period. They are probably conservative, but it's not a good way to find out they're not when you try to sand out runs or orange peel the next day and repaint a part only to have the paint wrinkle on you. As a matter of prudence, I would not recommend planning to fix any errors that might develop in the color coats - at least not w/o a verification test on a junk part. Treat it as "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" after that last color coat is applied. I have nothing against MAE and have recommended it for those w/o fresh air breathing equipment. You just need to know going in that there might be a recoating issue with it.

Rod